Automatic air and water connection for water tubes



June 15,1926. 4 1,589,150

c. c. HANSEN AUTOMATIC AIR AND WATER CONNECTION FOR WATER TUBES FiledAugust 7. 192 5 ,1 1.: Y a 4 V "1' 6' 9 11 y 7 s K i a I I Q1 %/H Y Z3 2YU \-J $1.,

$1, m i y T INVENTOR.

R flkariedllgmwma r- BY z HAS ATTORN Patented June 15, 1926.

UNITED STATES Par-ear orries.

CHARLES C. HANSEN, OF EASTON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TOINGER-SOIiiL-RAND COMPANY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A'GORPORATION OFNEW JERSEY.

AUTOMATIC AIR AND WATER CONNECTION FOR WATER TUBES.

Application filed August This invention relates to rock drills, but moreparticularly to an automatic air and water connection for fluid actuatedrock drills of the hammer type.

One object of the invention is to insure an adequate supply of cleansingfluid, either water or pressure fluid, to a drill hole and to preventintermingling of such fluids during the normal operation of the drill.

Another object is to automatically open communication between a pressurefluid supply and a water tube for cleansing a drilled hole when the1pressure of the water supply reaches or fal s. below a certainpredetermined value. 1 V

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed outhereinafter. I

The invention consists of the combinations of elements, features ofconstruction, and arrangement of parts having the general mode ofoperation substantially as hereinafter described and more particularlypointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing.

The figure in the drawing is a sectional elevation, of so much of a rockdrill as will serve to illustrate the invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the invention is shownembodied in a rock drill having a cylinder A sealed at its rear end by aback cylinder washer B which also serves to centralize a back head Gwith respect to the cylinder A. The cylinder A and the back head C maybe held in operative relation with respect to each other by any suitablemeans, such means preferably consisting of side bolts (not shown). Areciprocatory hammer piston D is provided for the cylinder A fordelivering blows of impact to a drill steel (not shown).

In order to provide rotative movement to the piston D for preventingbinding of the drill steel within the drill hole, a fluted rifle bar Evengages the piston in the usual manner. A ratchet-head F preferablyformed integrally with the rifle bar E carries a plurality of springactuated pawls G adapted to engage teeth H carried by a ratchet ring Jwhen the piston moves in one direction, but which will pass freely overthe teeth H when the piston moves in'the opposite direction; In this waythe piston which may be connected against relative rotation with thedrill steel in any well known and suit- 7, 1925. Serial No. 48,759.

able. manner will be caused to describe a partial revolution onalternate strokes.

The throttle valve K rotatable in the back head C is connected with asupply of pressure fluid and controls the admission of pressure fluid tothe drill. The distribution of pressure fluid may be controlled by anysuit able valve, in this instance, a spool'valve L is indicated. Thevalve L is adapted to reclprocatein a valve chest 0 preferably formedintegral with the cylinder 'A and in this instance bushings P and Q,provide a seat for the valve -L. The bushings P and Q are preferablyunsymmetrical with respect to each other to prevent'improper insertionof said bushings into the valve chest 0. For this; reason a screwthreaded plug B is formed eccentrically on the bush- WV which controlsan inlet gap X between the inner endsof thebushings P and Q throughwhichpressure fluid passing from the throttle valve K through a mainsupply passage Y passes into the interior of the bushings P and Q.Supply passages Z and I) provide communication between the interior ofthe bushings P and Q and the front and rear ends respectively of thecylinder A. i

In order that the valve L may be quickly and positively reciprocatedwithin the bushings P and Q, pressure chambers c and d are formed in theends of the valve. A passage 6 formed diagonally through the valveprovides communication between the chamber c and the interior of thebushing Q. Similarly, a passage 7 is formed preferably diagonallythrough the valve to provide communication between the interior of thebushing P and the chamber cl through the valve. By forming the passagese and 7 as described, a portion of the pressure fluid passing to one orthe other of the ends of the cylinder will pass through one or the otherof the diagonal passages e and f into the interior of the valve forthrowing the valve to one of its limiting positions, either forwardly orrearwardly when the piston nears the end of its stroke dependin upon thedirection in which the piston is moving. A main exhaust port 9 providesan escape for the pressure fluid from the cylinder and is controlled bythe piston D.

Means are provided for removing the cuttings from the drill hole. Tothis end a water tube 72. is arranged through the drill and is supportedat one end in the back head C. A threaded recess is formed in the backhead C to receive a correspondingly threaded plug into which the watertube It extends and whereby said water tube is held in position. Theplug is is preferably provided with a recess 0 to receive a packing 29,which may be of rubber or other suitable material, to cooperate with acollar Q of the water tube It for preventing leakage along said tube andalso to provide a yield ing support for the water tube. A plate 1'arranged beneath the collar 9 and about the water tube It serves as arigid support for the water tube in one direction andextends partly intothe recess 0 to insure perfect sealing about said tube. In order toprevent excessive wear between the plate 9 and the bottom of the recessj, a washer s preferably of soft material is inserted between said plateand the bottom of the recess. The plug is is provided with flats t toreceive a wrench whereby said plug may be readily screwed into and outof the back head C and preferably extends somewhat beyond the back headto receive aback head cap a to seal the recess j.

Means are provided for supplying cleansing liquid, usually water, tothewater tube. To this end a. connection 1;, which may be of any suitableform, is screwed into the back head C. The connection 0 in this instancecommunicates with the water tube it through a passage w in the back headand through a longitudinal exterior groove m in the plug 70, and throughthe water plug cap u and a passage 3 formed in the plug -70.

To the end that the drill hole may be properly cleansed during thedrilling operation in case the pressure of the cleansing liquid or waterbecomes reduced to a value inadequate for eiiicient cleansing, or failsthrough other reasons, pressure fluid may be automatically substitutedfor removing the cuttings from the drill hole. Accordingly, a bore 2 isformed in the back head C and has a reduced portion 2 which communicateswith the main supply passage Y through a passage 3. A passage 4providescommunication preferably between the inner end of the bore a andthe water connection 4). At the juncture of the bore 2 and the reducedportion 2, a valve seat 5 is formed to accommodate a reciprocatoryneedle valve 6. In this instance, the needle valve 6 is provided with astem 7 to serve as a guide for a spring 8 inserted between said valveand a sealing plug 9 for holding said valve on the seat 5. A pluralityof longitudinal grooves 10 are preferably formed throughout the lengthof the perimetric surface of the valve 6 to permit water under pressureto enter the bore .2 and act against the outer end of said valve toaugment the force of the spring 8 for holding the valve on the seat 5.

During the operation of the drill, assuming that the force of the spring8 together with the pressure of the cleansing water against the outerportion of the valve 6 exceeds the value of the pressure fluid actingagainst the inner end or face of the valve, water will flow from theconnection 4) through the passage 10 and the groove 00 into the cap aand thence through the passage g in the plug in and through the watertube It to the drill hole. If, however, the pressure of the cleansingwater should become reduced to a value sufficiently low to enable thepressure fluid acting against the inner face of the valve 6 to overcomethe pressure acting against the outer end .of the valve, the valve 8will be raised from the seat 5 and pressure fluid will flow through thepassage and through the passages described as the course of thecleansing water. Pressure fluid thus flowing through the passage 4: willintermingle with the water in the connection 4; and will accelerate theflow of the water, thus assuring an adequate supply of cleansing fluidto the drill steel. In the event that the water supply should failentirely, or should become cut-ofi for other reasons, a constant supplyof pressure fluid will flow to the drill hole until a preponderance ofpressure may again be obtained rearwardly of the valve 6. The valve 6will then be forced to its seat and water alone will serve as thecleansing medium.

The advantages of the invention reside in the fact that a constantsupply of cleansing fluid to the drill steel is at all times insured.This is particularly advantageous in cases where water alone ispreferred as a cleansing agent, and which under normal conditions may besupplied to the drill steel without intermingling with the pressurefluid, which is often desirable.

I claim:

1. In a fluid actuated rock drill, the combination of a back head with athrottle valve in the back head, a source of pressure fluid supplycommunicating with the back head and controlled by the throttle valve, awater tube in the back head, a connection secured to the back head forconveying water under pressure to the water tube, a bore between thethrottle valve and the water connection, a seat in the bore, a passageleading from one side of the seat to the connection, a passage leadingfrom the other side of the seat to the throttle valve, and a springpressed valve reciprocable in the bore to normally cooperate with theseat for preventing communication between the passages.

2. In a fluid actuated rock drill, the com bination of a back head Witha throttle valve in the back head, a source of pressure fluid supplycommunicating With the back head and controlled by the throttle valve, aWater tube in the back head, a connection secured to the back head forconveying Water under pressure to the Water tube, a bore in the backhead and having a reduced portion, a

needle valve in the bore, a seat for said valve, a spring for holdingsaid valve on the seat, a passage leading from the bore to theconnection for admitting Water underv pressure to the bore to augmentthe force of the spring for normally holding the valve on the seat, anda passage 1n communication with the throttle valve leading to thereduced portion to admit pressure fluid to said portion for unseatingthe valve and supplying pressure fluid to the Water tube When the Waterpressure falls to a certain predetermined value. I i

In testimony whereof I' have signed this specification.

CHARLES C. HANSEN.

